3 months ago 04th Jul 08:44
Thomas McCarthy is perhaps better known as an actor starring in moves such as Year of the Dog and Good Night and Good Luck as well as enjoying television success in Law and Order.
However his new project The Visitor takes him behind the camera as he directs his second feature, also penning the script.
I think it’s always difficult to point to the exact inspiration for a film. Usually I collect a lot of different ideas and keep them in one big file then start to sort out which ones are most resonant to me.
I think in this particular case it was a couple things. I spent some time in the Middle East with the last movie I directed (specifically in Beirut), and it felt like I was reading a lot about that part of the world without understanding much about the people or the culture there.
So I went back to visit a couple of times, started reading more and even began spending more time in the Arab community here in New York. Through my research, I came across a story of a young man who was detained here from the Middle East and put in one of these centers, I think in Queens.
I started reading everything I could on immigration policy and specifically on our detention systems. How we’re dealing with people since 9/11, especially undocumented citizens, led me to this story. I also joined an organization called Sojourners based at Riverside Church in Manhattan and started visiting detainees.
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